This page is a stub.
You can help improve it.
The Douglas Hotel was located in what is now known ans the Stirling
Aecade, a rare classically-detailed shopping arcade on ground sloping to
NE, with entrances at King Street (former Temperance Hotel) and Murray
Place (former Douglas Hotel) and incorporating shell of Alhambra Theatre
(former Arcade Theatre).
This shopping arcade, now known as the
Stirling Arcade, is a fine example located between Stirling's principal
shopping streets and the Castle. It is one of just five remaining in
Scotland. Built for William Crawford, local councillor and china
merchant, at a cost of about £30,000, it was also home to the Arcade
Theatre.
Crawford's Arcade, as it was known, links King Street
and Murray Place. Narrow street facades at each end lead into the ramped
shopping arcade. Entering at King Street on higher ground to the SW, the
arcade runs down to the NE, it dog-legs to the left into a lofty
rectangular-plan level centre court and back again to the right to slope
down to Murray Place. The Arcade, together with the Alhambra Theatre and
Douglas Hotel were sold by auction in 1920 after the death of William
Crawford.
The Arcade Theatre was situated within the arcade above
the shops. Access was by the extant elegant cantilevered dog-leg
staircase with decorative cast iron balusters and serpentine curved top
landing on thin cast iron columns, with some fine decorative
plasterwork. In 1964 the space was converted to a furniture showroom for
Thomas Menzies Limited. The fine interior detail was removed owing to
its poor condition but managing director, Mr Stirling Farquhar, had a
pictorial record made. The auditorium 'had two U-shaped balconies,
supported on iron columns, with a vaulted ceiling of painted panels. It
seated 1,200 and had a chequered start with various short leases'
(Peter). It was sold to William Crawford in 1912 and renamed the
Alhambra Music Hall. It was then used for cine-variety and became a
full-time cinema in 1930. The cinema closed in 1939 due to perceived
fire risk owing to limited access. |
